Arizona Blocks Union-Backed Measure That Could Have Ended School Choice for Over 20,000 Kids

Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program survives a union-backed ballot challenge after the state Supreme Court ruled to keep the measure off the November 2026 ballot. Arizona's Supreme Court has kept a union-backed ballot measure targeting the state's school choice program off the November ballot, ruling that organizers may not have gathered enough valid signatures to qualify. The case now returns to trial court to determine whether the "Protect Education Act" petition met the required threshold of 255,949 signatures. Jenny Clark, a lead plaintiff in the case and school choice advocate, discusses the ruling's impact on Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program and what she says comes next. - Arizona's high court sent the case back to trial court to verify signature count against the 255,949 threshold required - The National Education Association funneled $7 million into the Arizona Education Association's campaign and hired 1,600 signature gatherers, according to Clark - Roughly 103,000 Arizona children currently use ESAs — more than the enrollment of the state's largest school district, Clark says - Arizona's ESA program costs about $7,500 per student annually, compared to roughly $16,000 in average per-student public school spending - The blocked measure would have capped ESA eligibility at $150,000 household income and added new legal grounds to challenge how families use the funds - This marks the second failed signature drive against Arizona's ESA program, following a similar attempt in 2022 - Arizona Senate Democrats called the ruling a "major blow to public education" in a statement following the decision